Pelosi Remarks at J Street National Gala
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks at the J Street National Gala. Below are the Speaker's remarks:
Speaker Pelosi. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much.
I thought I would see Leader Schumer when I walked out here. Isn't it wonderful that he is here tonight?
Thank you, Mr. Leader, Chuck Schumer, for being here with us tonight.
Thank you all for the invitation to be here tonight. Thank you, Alexandra Stanton, Chair of J Street; Jeremy Ben-Ami, President of J Street.
I'm so honored to be here to present an award to Stephen Robert and Pilar Crespi Robert, the Justice and Peace Awardees; to be here with Leader Schumer; and then to be listening to Representative Pramila Jayapal, keynote conversation panelist along with Chris Van Hollen. This is such a wonderful evening, bipartisan and bicameral.
Thank you, Alexandra Stanton, for your tenacious, visionary leadership in pursuit of peace and justice – and, that is an applause line!
[Applause]
It is an honor to join Jeremy – a champion for bold, transformational leadership – and so many colleagues, friends and advocates for J Street's 2019 Gala Dinner.
Let me just say this, for a moment. This is like a family affair for me this evening because, unlike most evenings in Washington, my dear husband Paul Pelosi is here and my daughter, Christine Pelosi. So, I'm happy that they are here.
Pilar and – Pilar and Stephen, who we just love so much, and it's not just about the Italian connection, but I have so much admiration for them. Alan Solomont and Susan have been family to us.
But, I want to talk about Jeremy for a moment. When I first became Speaker, and I went to Israel for the first time as Speaker – not, I had been there other times before, but as Speaker – I was welcomed by a search of my family tree by the newspapers there that said something to the effect of: ‘Nancy Pelosi comes by her love of Israel naturally.'
And, they talked about my father – and this relates to Jeremy in this respect – my father was elected to the Congress of the United States, he was a New Dealer and this was in the thirties. And he was worshipped at the shrine of Franklin Roosevelt, worshipped at the shrine of Franklin Roosevelt, except – he took the liberty, it wasn't really liberty, but nonetheless – he decided that he was going to oppose him on two things, or at least, urge him to do more on two things.
One, to recognize what was happening to Jews in Europe at that time – that was late thirties, early forties.
And, to move more quickly to recognize that there should be a Jewish state in Palestine.
There were his two issues. How that relates to –
[Applause]
Okay. How that relates to – how that relates to Jeremy is the following: when my father was a little – a young man, a teenager, he was a shabbos goy. Italian American, but nevertheless lighting the furnace. So, he spoke Yiddish. So he comes – he spoke Yiddish. He was a natural orator, this or that. So, when he became a Congressman, Jeremy's father had established an organization, the Bergson Group, that had pageants, parades, rallies and all the rest for the establishment of the State of Israel in Palestine and to help the plight of Jews in Europe.
So, my father would be one of the featured – he wasn't Jewish, but he spoke Yiddish – one of the features on there. And, he worked with Jeremy's father all those years ago, on this subject. And, when he would – so inspiring was Jeremy's dad that when my father was then speaking on the Floor, he would say, ‘Mr. Speaker, I rise as a member of the Jewish Army' – no, wait a minute, ‘Jewish Men's Army.' And, I have those Congressional Record statements to demonstrate that.
So, again, we have family connections and we do – it is in the DNA of many of us to be supportive of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. And so, that's why I'm so proud that for more than a decade, J Street has been a powerful force for progress, bringing together diverse communities united by our shared pro-Israel, pro-peace values.
We are blessed here to be with so many Members of Congress – so many Members of Congress. Did you all stand up and get cheered? Stand up and get cheered! Let's hear it. Alright, alright – look at that!
[Applause]
So many Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, from both sides of the Capitol: because support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship is bipartisan and bicameral.
Yesterday, we marked one year since the deadliest attack against Jewish Americans in our nation's history, in our nations history, which stole the lives of eleven innocent men and women gathered in a peaceful prayer at the Tree of Life Synagogue. You all remember that so well.
With dangerous rhetoric, political chaos and anti-Semitism on the rise, we recall the late poet and lyricist, Ehud Manor, whose poem said ‘I Have No Other Country,' It reminds us of our responsibility to speak out for what we believe in. And, this is what – this is just part of what the poem says:
‘I can't keep silent in light of
How my country's changed her face
Won't quit trying to remind her
In her ears, I'll sing my cries
Until she opens her eyes.'
At this time of great consequence, we must heed Manor's words and rise to the moment to defend our values and oppose the forces of hate and fear.
[Applause]
We can rise to the moment by honoring the late Israeli President Shimon Peres's call to see everything – how many times have we met with him – he'd say ‘I see everything as an opportunity, an opportunity to build an enduring peace and a lasting two-state solution.'
[Applause]
Representative Alan Lowenthal – Alan, are you here? Let's hear it for Alan Lowenthal. Yay, Alan!
[Applause]
Alan has House Resolution 326: it is an opportunity for Congress to reaffirm support for a two-state solution that enhances –
[Applause]
– a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel, the Palestinian people and the region. Thank you, Alan.
[Applause]
But as I always say, a two-state solution: it must be a [real] solution. It requires us all to oppose actions that hinder progress.
The challenges we face on the road to peace are many, but the U.S.-Israel relationship has been ironclad for over 70 years, and will remain so. Ironclad for over 70 years and will remain so.
I'm always happy to come here and be with all you. Tonight is a special, very special, honor for me, as we celebrate a remarkable couple who rise to the moment every day to champion our shared values. The Tzedek v'Shalom Award – justice and peace – is one that will be awarded to Stephen Robert and Pilar Crespi Robert.
For decades, Stephen and Pilar's Source of Hope Foundation has provided critical resources, health care and educational opportunity for communities ravaged by violence, natural disaster and inequality.
In the Middle East, Stephen and Pilar's work honors the dignity and worth of every person, and their commitment to justice and peace is essential to Israelis and Palestinians coming together to see a different future.
They are not ones to stand on the sidelines, instead focusing on the people-to-people connections that promote mutual respect and plant the seeds for lasting peace.
Now, let me just say, they're not ones to stand on the sidelines, but they're never ones to put themselves in the spotlight. So, when I heard, and when I learned that they were willing to publicly accept this award for the work that they had been doing silently for so long, I knew how important this was to them, because they have quietly, quietly always been helpful to so many people without those beneficiaries even knowing. They're so lovely, so kind, so self-not-promoting.
They have met the urgency of this moment with fierce determination, empowering local leaders and citizens to use their voices to build a more just, peaceful and prosperous future for all.
Stephen and Pilar's bold vision and values-based leadership are an inspiration to us all.
You're going to learn more about them in a film that we're going to see momentarily, but for the moment, for the moment, on behalf of the United States Congress, and in honor of their commitment to justice and peace, it is a privilege to present the Tzedek v'Shalom, Tzedek v'Shalom –
[Applause]
Tzedek v'Shalom, [Justice] and Peace Award to Stephen and Pilar Robert.
[Applause]
Where are they? Come on.
[Applause]
Oh, they show the film first? Now, the film.
It is my understanding that, now, the film.
[Laughter]